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Does our actions write our obituary?

Alfred Noble, inventor of dynamite, and the man who had spent a large part of his life profiteering from the sale of weapons. Awoke one morning, in 1888, to find his own obituary in print, in his morning paper. Nobel’s obituary had been indeed printed in error. Alfred Nobel’s brother had died and a foreign reporter had mistakenly reported the creator of dynamite’s death.

Indeed, anyone would be disturbed in reading one’s own obituary, but Nobel was indeed confronted with how the world saw him, as the inventor of dynamite and inventor of weapons of mass destruction.

As far as the general public was concerned, this is exactly what Nobel’s life had been, making money out of human misery. Unfortunately, none of Nobel’s true intentions were not reported, in the article, his desire to break down barriers, were neither considered, nor seriously taken in the tribute.

In reading his own obituary Nobel was shocked into action. He wanted to make clear to the world his true intents and purposes of his life. The Nobel Prize is now one of the most highly prestigious awards one could receive, as recognition of one’s contribution to humanity, through the sciences, and most notable through peace. With such luminaries as Dr Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa receiving the prize.

In reading this story one has to ask oneself, if I was to wake up and read my obituary what would it say. .